The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

Perfumes and Flower Farming. An interesting lecture was delivered yesterday before the Royal Horticultural Society, on the subs ject of perfumes, and the methods of obtaining the odours of plants as practiced in this and other countries. The lecture was given by Dr. Septimus Piesse, and was illustrated with a variety of living plants obtained from the conservatory and grounds of the Horticultural Society. In commencing his lecture he divided the plants from which perfumes were obtained into three classes. In the first the lecturer placed the odoriferous gum resins which exude naturally from the plants, such as benzine, myrrh, frankincense, and camphor—of which, he said, not less than 5,000 cwt. were annually im• ported into this country. These odorous bodies, he said were principally consumed in religious cere monies, and from the early custom of burning as incense upon the altars are derived their name per jamas. A number of very interesting specimens of art workmanship were referred to, as illustrating the numerous contrivances for burning incence. In the second class of perfumes mention was made of those which are procured by distillation, end which are known as the various ottos. Sage, mint, thyme, rosebud, sandal-wood, and other fragrant-bearing substances, yield by distillation an otto peculiar to each ; thus is procured otto of patchouly from the leaves of the patchouly plant. Pogostemon patchouly a native of Burmah ; otto of caraway, from the caraway seed; otto of geranium, from the leaves of the Geranium rosa ; otto of lemon, from lemon peel, and many other varieties. All the various ottos are very slightly soluble in water, so that in the process of distillation the water which comes over is always fragrant. Thus, elder water, rose water, orange water, dill water, are, as it were, the residue of the distillation for obtaining the several ottos. The process of distillation is very simple. The fragrant part of the plant is put into the still and covered with water—and when the water is made to boil, the ottos rise along with the steam, are condensed with it in the pipe, and re• main floating on the water, from which they are easily separated by decanting. In this way 1001 b of orange, lemon, or bergamot fruit peel will yield about 10oz of the fragrant otto ; 1001 b on cedar wood will yield about 15oz of otto of cedar ; 1001 b of nutmeg will yield 60oz to 70ez of otto of nut meg ; 1001 h of geranium leaves will yield 2oz of otto. Every fragrant substance varies in yield of essential oil. In variety the ottos are as numerous as fragrant plants ; but there are certain relatione ship among odours as among tints. The lemonelike odours are the most numerous, such as verbena, lemon, bergamot, orange, citron, citronella ; then the almond-like odours, such as heliotrope, vanilla, violet ; then spice odours, cloves, cinnamon, cassia. The whole may be classified into 12 well-defined groups. All these ottos are very soluble in alcohol, in fat, butter, and fixed oils. They also mix with soap, snuff, starch, sugar, chalk, and other bodies, to which they impart their fragrance. And it is thus that we are enabled to transfer the odorous principle from the plant that produces it to an in odorous body, wanting fragrance alone to make it of commercial value. Thosgh snuff is by no means so popular an article in the reign of Victoria as it was in Anne's time, yet the increased population, and still more increased exports to colonies, cause a positive increased production in scented snuff now than 50 years ago; snuff perfumed with her. gamot is especially in demand in the fur countries of Northern Canada. More than 200,0001 b of various ottos were imported into Britain in 1860, and valued at over £180,000; to this must be added at least one-third as much again distilled in England. Of oils of lemon and bergamot, from the Two Sicilies, we received 128,8091 b, valued at £57,054. The third class of per fumes were what he described as perfumes proper, such as are used for perfuming handker chiefs. Contrary to the general belief, nearly all perfumes derived from flowers are not made by dis tillation, but by the process of enfeurays or in flowering and by maceration or infusion. The odours of flowers do not, as a general rule, exist in them as a store or in a gland, but they are developed as an exhalation. While the flower breathes it yields fragrance, but kill the flower and fragrance ceases. The blossoms, though separated from the parent stem, do not die for some time, but live and exhale odour; which is absorbed by the fat. The process of obtaining the perfume was then described at some length. The flower farmers of the Var culti vate acres of jasmine, of tuberose, of violets, and the other flowers named; and the air is laden with fra. grance when the flower harvest is at hand. Women and children gather the blossoms, which they place in little panniers like fishermen's baskets hung over the shoulders. They are then carried to the labora tory of flowers and weighed. In the laboratory the harvest of flowers has been anticipated. During the previous winter great quantities of grease, lard, and beef-suet have been collected, melted, washed, and clarified. The great success of this process de pends on the absolute purity of the grease employed, arid no pains arr spared to this end. In each labors. tory there are several thousand chassis (sashes), or framed glasses, upon which the grease to be scented is spread, and upon this grease the blossoms are sprinkled or laid. The chasse en verre is, in fact, a frame with a glass in it as near as possible like a window sash, only that the frame is two inches thicker, so that when one chasse is placed on another, there is a spice of four inches between every two glasses, thus allowing room for blossoms. The flower blossoms are charged every day. Tho same grease, ho wever, remains in the chasse so long as the particu lar plant being used yields blossoms. The grease being it, flowered in this way for three weeks or more—in fact, so long as the plants produce blossoms—is at last scraped off the chusse, melted, strained, and poured into tin canisters, and in this state was fit for exportation. In every moderate-sized flower labo ratory there were employed from 2,000 to 3,000 sashes. Fat or oil is also perfumed with these same flowers by the process of maceratioc—that is infu sion of the flowers in oil or melted fat. In order to obtain the perfume of these flowers in the form used for scenting handkerchiefs, the scented fat or oil—made by any of the above methods—is infused with strong alcohol. The lecturer next referred to the remarkable fact that these flowers yield per• fames, which either separate or mixed in various proportions, are the types of nearly all flower odours. Thus when jasmine and orange flowers are blended the scent produced is like sweet pea— when jasmine and tuberose are mixed the perfume is that of the hyacinth. The commercial import• ante of this branch of perfumes was indicated by the quantity of flowers annually grown in the dis trict of Cannes. ;Flower harvest : orange blossoms, 1,475,0001 b ; roses, 530,0001 b; jasmine, 100,0001 b ; - violets, 75,0001 b ; acacia, 45,0001 b ; geranium, 30,0001 b ; tuberose, 24,0001 b ; jonquil, 5,000 l b; with violets and orange there are more, but with cassie less than here stated. In growing flowers for perfumery nothing can be simpler or more pri mitive than the farming operations. For roses the field is first scantily manured—especially with the refuse matter left after the distillation of various plants ; it is then ploughed with oxen at the yoke ; young plants of roses procured from layers in the usual way by tongueing and laying at a joint, are then planted, and nature does the rest. The cab bage provence rode is the kind cultivated. A plan tation of roses wall tended will last from six to eight years ; but for this the land must be well drained. It requires about 7,000 rose plants to cover an acre, and this acre will produce in an average season 50001 b weight of roses of the value of ld to lld per lb—yielding ay _ £3O an acre. For cassie the land is prepared i n a s i milar way. The young plants are raised from seed, which is sown in beds. Tho best pla n t s are left, the doubtful ones removed. In the th i rd year th e y have generally a height of 21t. or 3ft., and are then planted out in fields, each tree requiring about 12ft. t quire. After the third year the tree Prod uces flowers, growing at the same time till they attain maturity, when they reach a height of loft. or 12ft., with branches 6ft. long, and a stem as thick as a man's wrist. Each full-grown tree will produce about 21b weight of flowers, value from 3d to 4d per lbs, say £3O to £4O per acre. The jasmine is culti vated, by slips of the wild jasmine, grafted at the end of two years with the Spanish jasmine. This produces a blossom the size of a shilling, of intense fragrance. It requires about 8,000 plants to stock an acre; and they are not in full bearing till the second year after grafting ; but when mature every= 1,000 plants yield about 601 b weight of flowers an. nually. They are planted in rows, horizontal poles being thrust between them for euppo -t, the branches being woven in and out, somewhat as the raspberry canes are arranged by the Chiswick gardeners. The tuberose needs" more care than any other flower of the farm. It is the most difficult to rear, but the best worth rearing ; a good plantation on a good soil will last for seven or eight years. It is a bulbous plant, and throws out a stem like a hyacinth, covered with fleshy flowers. Orange trees are cultivated from seeds ; at the third year they are grafted either with the sweet Portugal or the bitter Bigaradier. A tree requires 15 years to reach maturity, but will pro. duce both flowers and fruit in four or five years. When in full vigour each tree yields an average of 251 b. weight of blossoms annually. Many planta tions of orange trees atNice are more than 100 years old. At Nice there is a public market for orange blossoms during the season. The bitter orange flowers fetch 3d per lb, the sweet about 2d, With us the violet grows any where, but the terrible sun of Nice during July and August is bat ill borne by the violet. Consequently, on the farms they are planted under the green shade of the orange and lemon trees, or close to walls and houses. A surface of land equalling an acre of planting yields 1801 b. to 2001 b. weight of flowers, valued as an average at 2fr. the lb. Oak or rose.leaf geraniums are grown for the sake of the rose-like odour extracted by die. tillation from the leaves. A ton of leaves will yield about a kilogramme, or rather less, of otto. The geranium is propagated by cuttings made in Sep. tember, which are planted out in the spring. Rose mary, lavender, and thyme are also grown to a vast extent. One can hardly say cultivated, since they grow like brooms and heaths on the wild wolds of Yorkshire. Any quantity may be found on the high regions of the maritime Alps. Those persons who seek for the ottos of these plants carry the distilling apparatus up the hills on the backs of mules, while they encamp themselves in tents near to some snow stream. England has always been famous for the production of lavender, and farms of it exist at Carshalton and Mitcham, in Surrey; also at Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It requires about 3,500 plants to an acre, and wren the plant is in full bearing we can procure from this quantity about 6 to 7 quarts. of otto, which, at the present price of 545. per lb., a good average price of 10 years, yield £32 per acre. The lecturer concluded by stating that in France, where this kind of commerce has risen to the value of £3,000,000, there are no published accounts or statistics relating to flower.farming ; and he ex. pressed an earnest hope that the object of the council of the Horticultural Society in bringing the subject of the odours of plants before the fellows would be obtained, and that young gardeners emigrating to some of the warm British colonies might eventually lay there the foundation of a flower-farm and per. fame laboratory, such as can only now be seen on the banks of the Var. The thanks of the society were given to Dr. Piesse for his lecture, which, it was announced, would be repeated on Saturday next. The Unity Bank. -- -,s. --- Yesterday, at the Justice•room of the Mansion .house, before the Lord Mayor, Joseph Wakefield Terry and Thos. Burch, the manager and secretary of the late Unity Bank, surrendered to their bail upon a charge of having falsified the balance-sheet of the 30th of June, 18E2, with intent to deceive and defraud the shareholders. Mr Lewis, jun., appeared, as before, to conduct the prose cution on the part of the committee of liquidators : Mr Sleigh, barri,ter, defended Terry; and Mr Metcalfe, bar rister, defended Burch. Mr Geo. Lewis Phipps Eyre, solicitor, of Bedford-row, and a director of the Unity Bulk, who had been examined upon the last occasion, was now recalled, and had his evi dence and cross-examination by Mr Sleigh, in which he made various verbal corrections, read over to him by Mr Oke, the chief clerk. He was then cross-examined by Mr Meicalfe as follows : —I do not think I looked at any books of the bank at all. The question is one difficult to answer,but I have seen some of the books from time to time. I have had the customers' ledgers brought in on epecial occasions. That was when I was anxious about customers,ancl when the manager wished to confer with directors about them. Whenever the directors felt any particular anxiety respecting the customers we sometimes looked into the accounts in the books, I am aware Mr Alderman Mechi has said that we were particu larly anxious about Lowenthal's and Sternc's accounts, but, to my recollection, personally I never examined their accounts myself. Mr Alderman Mechi used to be constantly at the bank, and was in the habit of speaking to us as if he had made particular inquiries into the accounts of those per sons. Sometimes we looked at the customers' accounts, and Mr Alderman Mechi constantly made them a matter of conversation, but I cannot swear th tt he said he had made particular inquiries into them himself. I have no recollec tion of seeing Lowenthal's account in the books as late as June, 1862, but I should be inclined to say I did not see it then. I did not examine the general ledger at all, I am not an accountant, I am a solictor, I should say, if you show me the :general ledger, whether I looked into it or not. (General ledger handed to witness.) I can now swear upon my oath that I never looked into it, although that book might have shown me the whole summary of the bank's proceedings. I knew, of course, that there must have been a general ledger kept, and I was aware that from that ledger I should see the whole proceedings of the bank. I mean to swear this—that, notwithstanding the anxiety about the bills and the critical position of the bank, I never looked into it. I relied upon the honesty and credibility of Mr Burch. Both the defendants had described to me the probability of the shares being worth £3O in July, 1862, and Mr Alderman Mechi then described the same :thing. It was so stated by Terry at the public :meeting in Sept., 1862. Somebody said at the meeting that the shares would not fetch £3O, whereupon Mr Alderman Mechi said, in reply, that they were worth from £27 to £3O a share, and I believe he calculated that amount at the time the bank was transferred to the London and Middlesex. It was subse quently that we pressed Alderman Mechi for the payment of his debt, and I think he proposed to liquidate it upon the basis of £3O a share. The 17th of June is the date of the last weekly account of the bank we have. I cannot re member what became of the statement of the bank for the week ending the 21th of June. I have two statements of the bank for June, but they are not here. I shall give them into the hands of Mr Howell, the accountant. They were here on the last occasion, but I took them away in order to prepare myself for this cross.examination. The list to which I referred on the last occasion I shall also give to Mr Howell. I have no other documents belonging to the bank except these. Mr Alderman Mechi was present at the time when a conversation took place with Mr Terry in the board-room, and after that I went to the meeting of the bank, and was present at it. When I went to that meet ing I did not know the whole affairs of the bank, but I knew about the affairs of Sterne and Lowenthal. Before that I had been informed of the forged bills being placed among the past due bills, and I knew that Lowenthal and Sterne's had been kept back. I believe I heard Alderman Mechi say at the meeting that the directors knew of no irregularity on the part of their staff. I cannot recollect his exact words, but it is jast possible he may have said so. I have an im pression on my mind that he said something I did not agree to, but I did not get up and say so. I intimated my dime greement by informing one of the directors of the London and Middlesex Bank of ray dissent. I made it no secret or confidential matter, but I do not wish to mention the name of that director. I do not know that Alderman Mechi exactly said that he knew of no irregularity on the part of the staff, and I certainly on that occasion did not disabuse the share holders at the meeting of the impression ho had conveyed. Mr Burch was kept in the bank after that, and I was one of the directors who kept him there. He was kept several months after that in the same situation. Dr Cook is the chairman of the liquidators. He was auditor of the London and Middlesex Bank during the whole time that concern lasted. During that time, though it lost £75,0.0, as stated by other witnesses, ho was the auditor, Re-examined by Mr Lewis—There was only one audit of the London and Middlesex, for that bank only lasted about 12 months, having lost the whole of their capital. Mr Lewis—Were these acceptances of the London and Middlesex Bank given by the defendants ? Witness—l shall go into that if we are to enter upon the affairs of the London and Middlesex. The Lord *Mayor Lit:mated that it was unnecessary to enter into these affairs. Re-examination continued—Burch was kept in the bank for several months after the time I have referred to, but certainly not with my sanction. There were eight or nine directors. I did not make any statement to the meeting of shareholders, but I told one of the directors of the London and Middlesex that Sterne and Lowenthal were debtors. They were debtors also to the London and Middlesex, and when my statement became known to the directoro of the London and Middlesex the dismissal of Terry was the con sequence. The general ledger contains the totals, not the details, of the affairs of the bank. It is very easy for managers and secretaries to deceive directors in banking matters. If the regulations adopted in this case for the government of the manager and secretary had been carried out the one would have been a clfeek upon the other. Mr Benjamin Bower examined by Mr Lewia—l reside at Edmonton, and ;An in business as a fruiterer in Lower Thames-street. I am a wholesale merchant, I am deputy of the ward of Billingsgat e , an d was one of the directors of the bank. I joined it 11 months after it was opened. I suppose that was after the losses occurred under the management of Mr Chambers, but I would not have joined it had I known such losses were made by him. I held ten shares at first. Then I bought another ten to qualify myself as a director, and after that I bought five more. Before I became a direc tor I was a shareholder. I joined the board in April, 1857, and I remained a director until the last, when the Unity went over to the London and Middlesex, and then I became a director also of the London and Middlesex, Irrespective of my interest in the Unity, I transferred all my shares to the London and Middlesex, and I took 100 shares besides in the latter. Those shares were taken in my son's name, but they belonged to me. I generally attended the halfa yearly meetings of the Unity, when the balance-sheets were submitted to the shareholders. I remember the balance• sheet of the 30th of June, 1862, which was passed in Sep tember, and I was present when it was agreed upon at the board meeting. I had no idea that forged and dishonoured bills irrecoverably gone years and years before were put into the credit aide of that balance-sheet. It certainly was never done with my sanction in any shape or way. I purchased the five shares in the year 1861, after the meeting. I am not quite sure of the date, but I think it was the 6th of August, 1861. I bought them at £l6 per share. Before I purchased those shares the defendants made no statement to me, but at the time we were about passing over to the London and Middle sex, in August, 1862, they did make a statement to me, I then asked Burch if he would give me particulars of the assets of the bank and their value. He gave me a paper in his own figures, which I now produce, and there are some figures of mine attached to it, so as to make a calculation of what they would produce, and on the other side I made a memorandum to the effect that the assets would produce £3O a share. The Lord Mayor—Was that made out from the informa- tion Burch gave you ? Witness—lt was. It represents that £270,000 were the assets of the bank, and upon that calculation made by my self it produces £3O a share. There are the words, 0 confi dent of £80,000" inserted in the memorandum, and these were taken also from Burch's statement. With reference to the management of the bank, I remember the rules and re gulations put in force by Mr Eyre, and the Board sanc tioned them, and resolved that they should form the mode of proceeding. I attended at the Board and committee meetings almost always. The committee meetings rotated, and it is unnecessary, therefore, for all of us to be present at them, but there were very few which I did not attend. Beyond that, whenever I had an opportunity, I used to call in at the bank and give an opinion, and if I knew any bills to be bad I recommended them not to be discounted. When I attended there I paid attention to all the things which the defendants brought to my notice. I did not prepare the balance sheet, nor had I anything to do with it:. It was brought before us. I had nothing to do with its preparation, except to sanction it when it was laid before us, When the original document was laid before us we had no doubt about its correctness, and so we sanctioned it, and afterwards it was printed. I did not authorise the release of Bunyard's debt of £2,500, or any of the other debts. If such a release had been granted there must have been a resolution by the directors passed. I was 77 years of age about 10 days ago. Cross-examined by Mr Sleigh—When the balance-sheet of the original document was brought before the board there was, perhaps, a discussion about it, but there was no doubt thrown upon it. It was adopted about June 24, Whenever it was submitted it was made the subject of discussion as to whether it disappointed us as to its results. Mr Sleigh—Yes, but it showed a profit, and therefore you could not find fault with that ?-We had no reason to doubt Was it not presented on three several occasions to the board before it was finally adopted ?—I believe not. It may have been so, but I do not recollect it. I ask you distinctly, was not the balance-sheet placed be fore the board three several days previously to its being passed F—lf the minutes say so no doubt it was. Will you abide by the minutes ?—I will. I believe, sir, you paid the same attention to the bank up to the very last day that you did at the commencement F-- Certainly I did. In point cf fact, Mr Deputy, were yutt not the Cerberus of the whole establishment ? (Laughter.)—The what ? (Great laughter.) It I could understand you, I would an swer your question. Well, leaving out of view all ~ ..11usion to the classics, did you not say this at the public meeting--" We examine everything; there can ba no retrogression and no advance without our helping to promote it." Without adopting any classical allusion, I ask you, was that so ? Was that the statement you made—that you examined everything, and took care of everything, and that that was your practice?— Yes; the same as I would in my own establishment; but I presume, in either case I might be deceived. Yes, but, Mr Deputy, you went very much further, and boasted, very properly, that although your staff might be very honest and industrious, you would keep a sharp look out after them ? I did all I could, but it appears to have been of very little use. Did you tell the board on one occasion that there was no necessity to have more frequent audits because you were an auditor yourself ?—I tuld the shareholders that at the general meeting, and I think so still, that there was no necessity for the auditors to be there once a week. Did you tell them that because you were the body and soul of the concern—because you looked so minutely into all the matters ?—Yes. And because some were not quite so active as yourself ? Then, what made you go to the bank every day, seeing that the books would not come regularly before you excpt on the Tuesdays and Fridays ?—We went into the board room every day to do business if the manager and secretary wanted us. But, as a matter of fact, did not you go into the accounts yourself without being asked t) do so ? —No. I mean you yourself sad your brother directors P—We did not go into the offices, below or above, to examine the books, but all that was brought before us we examined to the best of our judgment. Did you not examine everything—not at the meeting, but when you went into the bank ? Did you not look at the bills, and those which were not nice did you nat pass be tween the finger and thumb, and throw them on one side ? If you ask me any particular question I will answer you. I shall press you to tell the Lord Mayor whether you did not inform the shareholders that there was no occasion for an audit of the accounts every week, because you yourself were an auditor.—Whenever these things were brought before us we did it. Did you audit the accounts every week ?—No. Cross-examined by Mr Metcalfe—l never examined any books but those which were brought before me at the board, I did not examine the cash article book every day. I pre sume that I looked at the past. due bill book if it were laid on the table. The each article book was read by Mr Burch, and I dare say it was left on the table. I cannot say whethe r the directors looked into it. Mr Metcalfe—What was it left on the table for, if it was not for the directors to look into it ?—lf we had any doubt we should have looked into it. Did you ever look into the general lodger ?—No ; I do not think I should have understood it if I did. But you are a bootmaker ? (Great laughter.)—A what ? (Renewed laughter.) No; I am a fruit merchant. I beg your pardon, I thought you said a bootmaker. You keep books and a ledger 2—Yes ; and I write a great deal in it. And you examine it ?—I do. You say you used as much vigilance in the affairs of the bank as you do in your own business ?—Yes, but still I do not think I should have understood the bank ledger. Did you ever examine it P—l do not think I did. I have known it to be cent for by some of the directors, but I can not tell which of them—probably by Mr Eyre. I think it is very possible that several of us looked at it when any particular account was mentioned. Re-examined by Mr Lewis—The directors; ordered a weekly report of the affairs of the bank to be prepared by Mr Burch and brought before them, and that was invari ably placed on the table of the board of directors. The ledger sent for by the board was a very large ledger, I believe it was the customers' ledger, and not the E;eneral ledger. When I said I audited the accounts once a week I presumed everything was brought before us, and that we were all doing our duty to the best of our ability. The weekly report was brought before us according to order, and that, I expected, contained the balance. A quantity of bills were brought before us day by day, and if we did not parti cularlyknow them we asked for information. The cast-article book was read. I don't think the discount-book was also brought before us. We were very anxious, because a great number of Lowenthal's bills passed before us, and we in quired whether he was a good man. Both defendants replied that he was a provision merchant, that he supplied little shops round about London, that the bills were drawn upon these little men, but they seldom paid on the day, but that they brought their money and that Lowenthal took up the bills, and that statement was made to the London and Middlesex Bank. I had not the slightest doubt of the honour of both the defendants during the whole of these transactions, and never doubted their word for a moment, Mr Thomas Carlisle Hayward, examined Mr Lewis—My place of business is at 93, Minories. I am a merchant, and joined the Unity Bank as a director in 1853. I was induced to join it at the solicitation of Mr Baylis and Mr Knight. I took my qualification at that time, but subsequently I in creases.: my 20 shares by 61, making 81 in all. I remained a director until the bank transferred its business to the London and Middlesex. I went over to the London and Middlesex Bank as a director, and at that time my interest in the Unity was about £5,000, calculating the shares at the amount I paid for them. I paid £4,200 for my shares, which money I lost. From the Unity assets I received £2 or £3 a share. I attended 'from time to time my duties as director. I think we were all much alike in point of activity at the Board. We attended on Tuesdays and Fridays, but perhaps Mr Alderman Mechi was the most active member. I bought my last shares at Christmas, 1861, at £2O or £22, upon the faith of our manager that they would produce £3O. I thought I might safely give that money for them. The defendants from time to time brought the matters be fore the directors, which appear upon the minute books, as to the bills, the cash-article book, &c. 1 had nothing what ever to do with the preparation of the balance-sheet of June 1862. I had no knowledge that forged bills and irrecover able debts of years and years' standing were inserted in the assets. Had I known that I would have wound up the bank at once. I was not aware that dishonoured checks and past.. due bills were inserted as cash in hand, I generally attended the meetings of shareholders, but I was not one of those who spoke at them. I did not give Terry authority to release a debt of Bunyard. I was present in Feb., 1864, at a meeting, when Mr Eyre, looking at a book that was produced to Mr Mechi, noticed that the names of Lowenthal and Sterne there were indebted to the Unity Bank, and the defendants were spoken to on the subject. Burch was asked a question about the irregularity of the circumstance, and he said he would rather that Terry should answer the question for himself. Terry then came in, and said, " I admit it's wrong," adding that ho had been working Lowenthal' s account in order to reduce the debt to the London and Middlesex Bank. Ile did work it, with a loss of £I,OOO to the London and Middlesex. This witness was not cross-examined. Mr Lewis said that this was all the evidence he pro-, posed to produce on the part of the prosecution, with the exception of some little formal testimony respecting pro. ceedings in bankruptcy; but this he could do at the trial, and due notice of its nature would be given to the defend ants. Mr Sleigh said ho could not help feeling that, after this protracted investigation, it was the:intention of the Lord Mayor to send the case for trial before another tribunal. if he thought that anything he could say on behalf of Terry would have an effect upon his lordship's mind he would address himself at once to the merits of the case. The Lord Mayor said it was his intention to commit the prisoners for trial. _ _ Mr Sleigh hoped that, under these circumstances, the public would suspend their judgment in regard to Terry until the verdict of the jury should have been pronounced —a verdict which Terry anticipated without tear. The learned counsel then tendered his thanks to the Lord Mayor for the great patience, care, and courtesy he had mani fested throughout the inquiry—an inquiry the importance of which could not be overrated in a commercial commu nity. Mr Metcalfe observed that Burch was entirely innocent of the charge, and that at the proper time he would tho roughly substantiate his innocence. It was then agreed that the whole of the depositions should be read over and signed, and the formal evidence taken, on that day fortnight, and that the prisoners, who were now again liberated on bail in the sum of 18,000, should be tried at the Old Bailey Sessions,which commence on lklonday, Jan. 30. The Accident in the Blackheath Railway Tunnel. Yesterday afternoon Mr Carttar, coroner for West Kent, resumed the inquiry at the Railway Tavern, Lee, into the circumstances attending the deaths of the six unfortunate men who were killed by the fearful coll sion which took place in the Blackheath tunnel of the North Kent Railway on the evening of Friday, the 16th inst. Mr Freeland, solicitor, Mr Eborall, general manager, and Mr Knight, traffic superintendent to the South-Eastern Company, appeared to watch the proceedings on the part of the directers of the company; and Mr Woollett attended on behalf of Jones, the signalman at Blackheath station. At the commencement of the proceedings, Mr Freeland said he had observed, from letters inserted in the newspapers, that an opinion appeared to prevail that the ballast train in the tunnel was uncoupled before the up passenger train ran into it. He wished to state that the evidence previously taken proved the contrary to be the case. The Coroner said Mr Freeland was correct, so far as the evidence had gone at present. The witness Lancaster, guard to tho ballast train on the night in question, was recalled, and in reply to the Coroner stated that the ballast train left Chaelton at 4.14. It took about four minutes to go from Charlton station to the mouth of the tunnel. The train a few minutes afterwards came to a standstill in the tunnel. He got off the engine, and al most immediately afterwards the collision took place, He was certain the collision took place before the carriages were uncoupled. Witness uncoupled the carriages, and sent the front portion through the tunnel to Blackheath. His own foot slipped, and he was left in the tunnel with the rear part of the train. His instructions are not to depend on signals only, but to go back when a train came to a dead stop. By Mr Woollett—He did not know that the stoker had got down to throw sand on the rails. He might easily have done so just before the train came to a standstill. He did not ask the driver why he was going so slow. He was guard and breaksman; but iu this case there was no man at one of the breaks. He could, however, have got to the break easily had he wished to do so. There were two breaks to this bal last train, but they were not both worked. lie would persist in saying that on this occasion his proper place was on the engine. to give directions to the driver as to setting down and taking up men. Joseph Wells, of Lewisham, a platelayer in the service of the company, said on the night in question ho was in the ballast train. He was in the same compartment with Wade, Seeley, Jones, and Pledge. About three-parts through the tunnel the train, after proceeding very slow, came to a standstill. Lancaster came back and asked witn NM if he had any matches, and almost immediately after the collision took place, and witness was injured and remembered nothing more. He was in the last carriage of the ballast train, and that carriage ought to have had a light on behind. He did not know whether such a light was on or nor, He gave Lancaster a match and he lit a lamp, and then went and conversed with the under-guard, Randall. The collision then took place, and witness afterwards managed to crawl out from under one of the carriages. By Mr Woolktt—They made two or three attempts to get on before they came to a stands , ill. Richard Pledge, a bricklayer, residing at Cooper's-cot tages, Old Kent-road, said on the night in question he was in the second compartment from the break, with 'Wells, Jones, Seeley, and Wade. The train went very slow and nearly stopped, and ono or two attempts were made to get it on its way again. When the train stopped he heard some one ask Wells for a light, and a lamp was lighted. At that time the train had come to a stop, and it did not move on again. After the collision witness found himself lying on the up line, and managed to crawl out. From the time he entered the tunnel until he left it was about ten minutes. Joseph Squires, of 8, Phoenix-place, Bermondsey, said he was head guard of the up passenger train which left Maid• stone at 2.49 on the afternoon of the 16th inst. The train arrived at Charlton station at 4.20, and left at 4.34. The train, without any previous warning, ran right into the ballast train. Witness was thrown from one and of his care rine to the other. Ile immediately flew to his break. He was quite certain that his train was not off the line. The train remained at Charleton about 14 minutes. Whilst re. mauling at Charlton some of the passengers complained of the delay, as the train had previously arrived at the Dock yard station in suc h good time. The station-master at Charlton told witness that the delay was caused in conse quence of a ballast train having just gone up. Witness's break was smashed and broken, and after the collision he found himself lying on the permanent way. The result of the collision was to throw a portion of the passenger train across the six foot way,or the result must have been much more fearful. The tunnel was at the time very dark. Whilst witness was lying on the grou n d h e was accosted by Mr Ware, travelling inspector, in the employ of the company,and as soon as in informationwas sen t o f th e accident to Blackheath, order to stop all the up and down traffic. In reply to questions, the witness st a t e d th a t th e under guard acted under hisinstructions, although the under guard knew the duties he had to pe r f orm as conta i ne d i n the printed regulations and rules of the co m p an y. IV fit ness had been in the service of the company upwards of ] 2 years, and well knew his duties. He had never before come into collision with a ballast train. The witness Lancaster was then recalled, and strongly denied the statements of previous witnesses—that just pre viously to the collision he had asked for and obtained a light from Wells, or that he went to the rear of the train and spoke to Randall. He would net say that the witnesses had sworn falsely, but he supposed they were so frightened that they scarcely know what took place. The witness Wells was recalled, and confronted with Lan caster. He persevered in his previous statement as to giving Lancaster a light. Ho knew Lancaster intimately, and could not have been mistaken. Lancaster, re-examined by the Coroner—He lighted his lamp a considerable distance down the line, somewhat near Belvedere. Dowsett, the driver of the train in question, was recalled, and stated that after the train stopped Lancaster got off the engine with a light, and returned with the same lamp. It was the gauge lamp belonging 1 0 the engine. That lamp had been burning from the time that the train left Dartford. Lancaster did not light a lamp lower down the line than Charlton. There were tail lights at the end of the break. By Mr Woollett—When Lancaster got off the engine he said, " I will go and see what the breaksman is doing, and take some fog-signals. , Henry Malcolm Ramsey, of Paddington, said he is a builder, and was a passenger by the train which left Maid stone at 2 40 on the afternoon in question. Shortly after entering the Blackheath tunnel witness felt a sudden and severe jerk, and immediately found that the train was in collision and had left the line of rails. He felt a great con cussion, and was thrown severely across the carriage and out of the window. He distinctly felt that the wheels of the carriage were grinding over the ballast, and believed from this that the train had left the rails, and that was before the collision took place. Witness, after the collision, pro ceeded along the up-line to the Blackheath station, in order to give information of the accident, Whilst doing so the witness Lancaster came up to him. Ho had a lamp in his hand.. Witness put a question to him, but he scarcely an swered. Witness saw the Blackheath station-master, and told him of the accident, By the Coroner— Ho was still of opinion that the pas senger train went off the rails before it ran into the ballast train. He felt certain it must be so from the position of the carriages. They were on the six-foot way and travelled on that way off the rails before the collision tcok place, The collision was not so violent a 3 it would have been had not the passenger train previously got off the rails. He be lieved the passenger train travelled a quarter of a mile off the rails before it struck the ballast trucks. The Coroner—l dont think that could be the case. The guard of the train, who has had many years' experience, has given evidence entirely contradictory to that opinion. The head guard of the passenger train, Joseph Squires, was then recalled, and in reply to the Coroner said he was quite certain that the passenger train had not left the line before the collision took place. There were in fact two shocks of the collision. The first sent the break and a por tion of the carriages across the line and the six-foot way, and thus rendered the catastrophe less dreadful than it would otherwise have been. In fact, had not this been the case, the break and the carriages attached to it must have been completely smashed up, and tho passengers in those carriages killed. , Mr Woollett called attention to the 405th regulation of the company, which is as follows :—" The under guard must act under the direction of the head guard in all matters not inconsistent with the duties laid down in these rules. They will be expected to mutually co-operate with each other to ensure proper disposal of business and prevent delay at stations. At the same time they will be jointly responsible for the observance of these rules. William Ware, of Edward-street, New-ct oss, said he is in the employ of the South• Eastern Railway Company as tra velling inspector. On the 16th inst. he was at Woolwich, and entered the passenger train from Maidstone at the Dockyard station. The train arrived at the Dockyard punc tually at the proper time. He usually rode in the break, but on this occasion he fortunately entered a compartment of a second-class carriage. The train on arriving at the Charlton station was delayed for some time, and witness in the performance of his duties got out and entered the sta tion, but did not see the station master. He remained at the station until the signal was received of "All clear up," and then entered a second-class carriage and proceeded on with the train. He sat facing the engine, and when about throe parts through the tunnel the collision took place. He was very much shaken, but not otherwise injured. As soon as possible he got out of the carriage to render what assist ance he could. He saw the head guard, Squires, lying on the ground, and asked him if he was so much injured as to be unable to go through the tunnel to Blackheath and in,. form the station master of the accident, in order to stop all traffic up and down. Squires replied that he was too much hurt to do so, and witness and others then went up the line to the station, The witness then gave corroborative evidence as to the removal of the witnesses from the tunnel, and stated that the break carriage of the ballast train had lights, as the lamps had been found since the accident. The Coroner—There appears to be no question with re gard to that point, as the signal man at Angerstein junction stated that he saw the tail lamps on the break of the ballast train when that train passed his signal box. Mr Eborall, general manager of the South Eastern Rail way Company, said the engine attached to the ballast train was up to the time of the accident in an efficient state. Its weight was 27i tons, and it had six wheels. The total weight of the train, including engine, tender, trucks, fuel, &c., was 240 tons. The engine could be worked to a pres sure of 1201bs to the inch, Mr Cudworth, superintendent and manager of the South Eastern Railway Company's engineering works and loco motive factory at Ashford, was then re-examined, and stated that the engine was of the most efficient description and in good order. It was quite capable of propelling a load of 300 tons. The witness was cross-examined by Mr Woollett and the jury without any material result. Some conversation then took place with reference to the head guard of the ballast train, Lancaster, riding on the en. gine instead of being in the break during the transit of the train from Charlton to the spot where the collision occurred, and the jury considered it desirable that some information should be given as to the regulations of the company on this point. Mr Knight, traffic superintendent to the company, said— It was in accordance with the regulations that the head guard of a ballast train should have the train under his control and give:directions to others. Whenever a hoed guard went for duty on the engine another man was put into the break to supply his place. By the Cororer—The guard of the ballast train therefore acted not only as the head guard, but as an inspector of the train. Some of the witnesses were recalled, and replied to clues. tions from the coroner an I jury, the result being chiefly cor roberative of the evidence previously given. It may be observed, however that one of the most noticable features of the present inquiry was the marked difference and flit con tradiction between the evidence of the head guard of the ballast train, Lancaster, and the witnesses who were in the carriage next to the break at the time of the accident. The Coroner, after referring to his notes, also alluded to the variation between some of the statements he made on the present occasion, and the evidence he had previously given. In reply to a question, Lancaster said he could only ac count for the difference between his statement and those of the witnesses who were in the ballast train, by the supposi tion that they were in such a state of alarm as to be un able to show what precisely took place. In reply to the Coroner, it was stated by Mr Freeland that the fireman Randall was still in a very bad state, and would not be able to attend for at least several days. The Coroner and Jury having retired for about half an hour, returned into court, when the Coroner said that all the evidence at present available had been received, and the jury and himself, after deliberation, were of opinion that a satisfactory conclusion could not be arrived at without hearing the evidence of Randall and that of Captain Tj ler, R.E., the Government inspector of railways, as to the re sult of his inspection of the line. It wou'd 131 wise to ad journ the inquiry for some time, so that it might be con cluded on the next occasion. He therefore proposed to ad journ the inquest until that day fortnight, and after all the additional evidence had been taken the Court would then be ready to receive any statement that Jones, the signalman at the Blackheath station (who forwarded a wrong signal to Charlton), might think proper to make. Mr Woollett said, on behalf of Jones, that he was quite ready to meet the case, and he (Ur Woollen) had then in his possession a written statement by Jones, which he was prepared to submit to the Court. The Coroner said he could not receive such a statement at present, and it was possible that Jones might daring the next fortnight alter his mind. The inquiry was then adjourned until this day fortnight, at three o'clock. The Derby Murder. Yesterday (Thursday) at noon James Potter, who mur dered his wife at Dcrby, between 12 and 1 o'clock on Fri day morning, by statbing her through the heart with a sword cane, was brought up on remand, before the local magistratep, at the county gaol, for examination. 'The magistrates present were the Mayor (Mr T. Roe) Dr Heygate, Mr Bainbrigge, Mr Pegg, Mr W. T. Cox, and Mr T. B. Forman. The prisoner was brought into the room in the custody of a turnkey, and appeared to be calm and collected, and on being told the nature of the charge against him, he made no answer. Sergeant Thorpe repeated the evidence which he gave before the coroner, as to his meeting Potter near his home on the morning of the murder, going home with him and finding the body upon the bed. He described searching the prisoner, and during this portion of his evidence was in terrupted by the prisoner, who said, "You don't Elay any thing about the 4s I had in my pocket." The Mayor—Have you any remark to make? Prisoner—Yes. I had 3s 101 d, and four keys fastened together on a ring, and four silver buttons fastened to a ring, a penknife with two blades, a pocket knife, and a whistle. That was about all, I think. Stay, there was a spectacle case. I could not find my waistcoat, but it was sent to me yesterday. The Bench—Anything more ? Thorpe—A knife with a broken blade. Prisoner—Yes ; that's right. The blade was brokenthe day I had it. Will you let me have a chair ? I am very weakly. A chair was handed to him, and the Court took the evi deuce of Benjamin Fearn, detective inspector of police, who had not been previously examined before the coroner. He said —I received the prisoner into my custody at his own home about 20 minutes alter one o'clock on the morning of the 22d inst. He was in the bedroom where the corpse lay when I first saw him. When I got him into the street I said, " Potter—l charge you with the murder of your wife." He replied, " She has run me into debt. That man we met on the stairs did it." We had met no one on the stairs, and I said so to him. Just as wo went out of the house a man named Stone, who lodges there, came down behind us. As I was leaving the house I told the constable in charge of the premises not to leave until daylight, as prisoner might have thrown the weapon into the street. Potter, who heard the remark, said "He will not find it there." I then took him to the station and locked him up. By Dr Heygate—Stone was partly dressed ; he had no coat on, and seemed as though he had just got up. Prisoner—Stone was fresh washed, was ho not ? Fearn—l don't know. Prisoner—You ought to know then. Fearn—He looked to me as though he had just got out of bed. He did not appear to have been fresh washed. By the Bench—Prisoner appeared to be sober. He spoke in a similar way to what bo does now. Ho appeared to be very low, much as he does now. Viz Abeth Clements, the prisoner's daughter, gave the evidence which has before appeared. Prisoner asked his daughter whether her mother had not, when in a bad state of mind, lifted up a carving• knife and threatened to take his life. Witness replied she had not. Prisoner—" Oh, dear I it is base of you to say so." He then put up his hands to his face and began to cry. Henry James Potter, grandson of the prisoner, who was not examined at the inquest, said ho had lived all his life with the prisoner, Went to bed on Thursday night at seven o'clock. Was awakened at one by hearing his grandmother cry out "Murder !" teveral times. He heard no other voice. Was frightened, and lay still for about an hour, when his mother came to him. Tho dagger produced is his grand father's, who kept it in his bedroom, against the drawers. He saw the dagger on Friday morning bent as it was then. Other witnesses who gave evidence at the inquest having been examined, Stone, the lodger, was called—He denied any improper intimacy with the deceased. He was a warded man, and his wife was a nurse at the Derby Infirmary. Prisoner—You have. I caught you with her on the squab last Sunday. Stone denied this, and said his wife was with him, as it was her Sunday out. The depositions were then completed, and the prisoner, after having been charged and cautioned, said, " I shall be ready with a defence." He was then committed for trial at the March Assizes. SPIRIT OF TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES.—President Lincoln thought it necessary to remark, in his Message, upon " the insecurity of life and property in the region adjacent to the Canadian border by reason of assaults of despera does committed by inimical and desperate persona who were harboured there." To this observation, however, he candidly added, "I desire to be under.. stood, while making this statement, that the colo. nial authorities of Canada are not deemed to be in• ternationally unjust or unfriendly to the United Slates ; but, on the contrary, there is every reason to expect that with the approval of the Imperial Government they will take the necessary measures to prevent new incursions across the border." It is fortunate that we can contrast this frank and tem perate language with the proclamation of General Dix and the Resolutions just offered on the sub• ject in the Federal Senate. In Congress we are charged with complicity in assassination and pillage, while a military commander threatens our terri tories with invasion ; but the Chief of the Re public does justice both to Canada and to England, and we gladly receive his views as those which time and reason will commend to the American people, The subject which has thus acquired so unex pected interest is certainly a difficult one. Our colony of Canada, lying north of the Federal• States, was commonly regarded by the people of the old Union as a prize which would some day or other fall to their share. In their estimation, the privi leges of American citizenship were so great that they believed the Canadians must be anxious to acquire them at the first opportunity, and if they talked little about conquest it was because they then anticipated an equivalent consummation by a more pacific and natural course of events. Bat the Civil War destroyed these agreeable expectations. The sanguinary convulsions of the American Republic inspired the Canadians with a due sense of their own blessings, and a decided preference of their town political lot, so that from easy friends and presumed admirers they became critical and unsympathising neighbours. Presently indeed the course of colonial opinion took a tarn still More offensive to the Federals, for there arose a feeling in favour of the South, which was quick ened and confirmed by the violent bearing of the North. On every suggestive occasion the Canadians heard themselves threatened with invasion end subjugation, and were told in plain terms that they should be made to expiate the imaginary crimes of this Government by undergoing the indignities of military conquest. These jars, however, might have passed harmlessly away had it not been for the proceedings of American refugees on Canadian soil. The frontier towns of Canada have been made the resort of characters not unjustly described in the strong words of the Federal President, "Inimical and desperate persons," genuine " desperadoes," swarm along the frontier, and it is admitted even by Confederate organs of 3pinion that among them are men capable of any audacity or violence. Many of them, it is true, are objects of compassion, being men who have seen their homesteads ravaged, their property plundered, and perhaps their kinsfolk slain by hostile armies; but many also, we are told, are men who have evaded military service with the Southern forces, and have betaken themselves to the British colony for the chances of the asylum. President Lincol❑ betrays a little asperity when he speaks of these people as " harboured" in our territory, but he must know full well that it eon. slats neither with British nor American policy to rej -ct such visitors. We can only insist on their conforming to law and abstaining from offence during the term of their sojourn, and it is upon this point that the present difficulty occurred. Nobody can deny that a most unjustifiable outrage was organised and perpetrated upon Americans from our soil. A party of raiders, as they are mildly termed, crossed the Canadian frontier and committed acts of the mast flagrant atrocity in the town of St. Albans, It would be hard to allow that any political pretext could divest such acts of their criminal character. To aesert that a commission from the Canfederate Government gave a license for such deeds is to confess a most scandalous offence against international law. Either these "raiders" were mere brigands, or, being duly commissioned by their own authorities, they organised from our neutral territory a hostile expedition against a friendly State. All this may be said, bat to say, as the Americans say now, that the Canadian Judge who doubted his own jurisdiction in the case either strained or peryerted the law out of sympathy with the " rebels" and hatred to the North, is the mere extravagance of passion. None keow better than the Federals themselves what difficulties are exile , rienced in questions like these, and how frequensly the action of cours of law disappoints the eager ness of popular expectation. They may depend upon it that neither in Canada nor here is there any desire to encourage or protect such persons es the St. Albans raiders; but the course of law is the best path to follow. Nothing has been mere re markable throughout the whole of this contest them the inconsistency of the Kderals in the attitudes they assume towards this country. At one moment they arc irrationally alarmed at the idea of our intervention ; at , another, with equal unreason, they provoke this very intervention by gratuitous defiance. The Chief Magistrate of the Republic has publicly recorded the thankfulness of the people for their escape from foreign war, when no such war, except by their own causing, was in the least degree probable. Yet upon the slightest pretext, however unsubstantial, the Americans are ready to challenge this war, to proclaim it themselves, and to declare the extremities to which they will carry it. What war with England would really mean they know better than we could tell them. They know that it formed the chief hope of the South in resolving on secession. Their own Minister has just told us that even such a contraband intercourse with the South as a rigorous observance of neu trality on our part cannot prevent has been suffi cient to "promote and protract the war." The very Senator who brought his inflammatory resolutionk before Congress asserted that but for this intercourse the contest could net have beeu maintained for six months. We gre not quoting these opinions for their truth, but for their bearing upon the great question of war or peace. If the mere specula. tive sympathies of political observers or the smuggling of cargoes through the blockade can exercise such an influence o❑ the fortunes of the war, what would be the result if the whole power of England were thrown really into the balance ? War between America and England would be', simply the most formidable intervention in behalf of the South which Mr Jefferson Davis could desire, and we especially recommend this point to the consideration of Americans, as perhaps not uncon nected with the very question before us. It has been long surmised that the Confederate agents in their various operations have been rather allured than deterred by the prospects of international em broilment arising from their schemes. If, besides escaping with a cruiser or plundering a bank, they could bring a powerful enemy on the back of their foe, it would be an enormous gain. Perhaps some of them are now looking at the St. Albans raid with hopes of this kind, and, if so, it would be much wiser to disappoint them than to play their game. The Federals may assure themselves that not even the capture of Nashville, nor the defeat of Sherman, would gratify the South half as much as that rupture with this country which certain Northern politicians are incessantly advising. POST.—Whether the rumour of the fall of Savan• nah is founded on fact or not, Sherman has already done enough to establish his fame as a skilful, ori ginal, and, above all, a successful general. How ever the war may terminate, and however singular may be the episodes which it will yet furnish to history, the grand march of the Federal army through the heart of Georgia in the winter of 1864 must ever possess an almost paramount claim to remem brance. Viewed strategically, General Sherman's tactics may be said to be unprecedented in the annals of warfare, because in the only instance of a parallel nature which can be discovered the motives dictating so hazardous a movement were different. If Sherman's communications had been cut off when he was in occupation of Atlanta, and if any serious obstacles had opposed themselves to his retracing his steps through Tennessee, then in self-defence ho might, as a sole chance of saving his army, have pushed his way southwards towards the sea. But this was not so. Hood, it is true, was enabled at times with the forces under his command in Tennessee to threaten the Federal line of communications; but for all practical pur poses the Northern general was always able to obtain everything of which he stood in need, and was free to move his army in any direction he p:eased. His advance through Georgia was there fore purely voluntary, and was, so far as we are in a position to judge, dictated by the hopes of captur. ing the principal towns on his line of march, of de.. vastating the country,and finally of being able,with the sea as a base of operations, to employ his army to better advantage than he could have dote by re maining in Northern Georgia, The risks which he incurred were considerable, and indeed such as would have deterred most men from undertaking such an enterprise. Abandoning his base of operations he was obliged to provide his army with supplies suffi cient for a march of probably sib weeks, and was compelled to guard as he best could against any of those thousand contingencies which might compel him to abandon his undertaking and once more turn Ilia face toward the North. Ignorant of the country he was to traverse and of the force which his oppo nents might be enabled to employ against him, he had to trust principally to the supposed superiority of his army and to the good fortune which prover bially attends the enterprising. His anticipations and his a-pirationa have both been redlined ; tied now, after a march occupying just four weepy, and as it would eeeio withet“ having encountered and' serious opposition, he has established the much de sired communication between his army and the Federal fleet. The details of Sherman's late opera' tions are now before us, and dismissing as unrelt' able the report of the fall of Savannah, it is este* blishea beyond doubt that on the 14th of the present month the Federal army had taken up a strong position on the south west of the town and had captured an important fort on the Ogeechee River, six miles from the point where it falls into the Bea. Advancing along the left bank of the river Sher man was enable,!, apparently without opposition , to extend the left wing of his army until it must have closely approached to the Savannah River, and by teis means secured the command of all the communications with the town from the north and west. Three lines of railway leave Savannah, one passing in a westerly direction to Albany, and crossing the Ogeechee River at Fort M'Allister. The second is the Central Georgian Railway, which follows the left bank of the Ogeechee till it reaches Milien,and the third is that which leads to Charleston. The first two of these lines are ie the hands of Sherman ; and as the third pursues a northerly course for a few miles on the Georgian bank of the Savannah before crossing that river, it is not improbable that the left wing of his army may have taken possession of it. The aproaches to Savannah from the Georgian side are therefore in the command of the Federal general. The efforts made by Foster to intercept the communications between Savannah and Charleston have, however, failed, and, so far as we can wither from the intellie brought by the last mail, the Confederates will not be precluded from sending reinforcements to Savan nah, if they are fortunate enough to have them at their disposal. The fate of that town, if not already decided, will depend chi( fly on the force which the Confederates will be enabled to employ in its des fence. Although Sherman's march through Georgia was unexpected, it would be a great mistake to sup' pose that the Confederate Government have taken no precautions against an attack from the land side. Strong fortifications have been raised since the bee gnning of the war, and it only remains to be seen whether those fortifications can be manned with troops sufficiently numerous to withstand the as saults of the army before whose prowess Atlanta tell. The junction effected between Sherman and the Federal squadron is not the only piece of intelli' gence unfavourable to the Confederates which reaches us by the present mail. An engagement has taken place between the Federal army under the command of Thomas occupying Nashville, and the Confederate forces which, under Hood, have recently laid siege to that town. The Federal general reports that on the 14th of the present month he attacked the left wing of the Confederate army, driving it from its entrenchments, and cape wring one thousand prisoners and sixteen guns, besides several trains, The Confederates did not succeed in regaining their lost ground, and on the following day the attack was renewed by the Federal general. The engagement is stated by General Thomas to have lasted the entire day, and to have terminated in the complete route of the Confederate army. Hood is said to have been driven from his entrenched position outside Nesh• %elle, and between 3,000 and 5,000 prisoners, and 30 or 40 pieces of cAnnon, are alleged to have fat" len into the Federal hands. When we call to mind that on the recent occasion when Thomas was defeated in a pitched battle by Hood, and compelled to retreat to Nashville, his official re' port to the Government at Washington described the result of the engagement as a victory for the Federal arms, we may be excused for hesitating to attach implicit credence to the account now before us. Making every allowance for the known men' dacity of Federal generals, it is, however, scarcely possible that a report such as that made by Gen: Thomas should be forwarded to his Government if some serious reverse had not been sustained by the besieging army. The next mail will probably bring us the details of these operations, and meanwhile we must suspend our judgment on their possible result. If Hood has in truth suffered so seriously , the siege of Nashville must be raised, and the Confederate general may esteem himself fortunate if he is enabled to withdraw in safety the remains of his discomfited army. The Confederate version will, however, not improbably place a different colouring upon the entire affair. COUNTRY MARKETS. BURY ST. EDMUND'S—WEDNESDAY. There was an average show of wheat and barley at this market to-day, for which the sales were at late rates. A full attendance of farmers. BIItMINGIIAM-TILURSDAy. There was a fair supply of English wheat in our corn market to-day, which realised is advance upon last week's quotations. Fine barley inaciive; seconds unaltered. Oats held for quite as :ouch money. Beans and peas inactive. —English wheat was sold at 40s to 41s for white, and 33s to 41s per 36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 28s to. 34s per qr ; grinding, 228: to 25s Oats, old, 24s to 30 a per 30 stone; Irish, 19s to 245. Beans, 38s to 42s per qr, peas, 38s to 40s per 36 stone. MANCHESTER-THURSDAY. There was a fair attendance at our market this morn* ing, and English wheat was taken off moderately at is the currency of last week. Flour moved off slowly, at late prices. Oats and oatmeal were in •limited request• Beans as before, as also Indian corn. EDINBURGH GRAIN—WEDNESDAY. To-day there was a fair supply of country wheat, Wel l sold at late rates. Wheat on the top 5s Od up average Os 7d UP. Barley on the top Os 2d up... Oats on the top Os Gd up..... Beans on the top 68 Od down ..average Os ld up. Total Supply and Sales. Wheat ... 698 qrs Sold 390 qrs 8ar1ey........2134 qrs Sold 1674 qrs Oats Beans l3B qrs Sold 115 qrs Avei age Prices. Wheat., Barley 24s 8d I Beans 3ss 2 ' Town. made flour sells as follows :—White, 368; extra superfine. 3ls ; superfine, 32s Gd; fine, 31s. GLASGOW—WEDNESDAY. The market was thinly attended. Wheat was more iir o quired for than of late at 6d per qr advance, and a fair bus t ?, ness was done thereat. Barley a nd oat s wer e steady. beans prices rather higher. Flour 6d dearer. CORK—WEDNESDAY. rt Ad The following were the quotations this morning wheat, 7s 6d to 8s 2d ; white, 8s 4d to 8s 8d , barley, 7;; 8d to 6s 10d ; oats, 7s Gd to 8s 2d ; black do,, 6s 6s 7d ; bere, —s Od. The Cork Daily Herald .bays on reliable anal°. rity that the negotiations for the purchase of the C4 91.15 ' Queenstown, and Youghal Railway by the Great Southe r ' and Western Company arc alt but completed. A r anel LA DyEarrsEmmur.] —Holloway's Pills.—The„ , o Requisites.—Nobody will deny the assertion that for ma n ly comfort and happiness pure blood and a sound stonlaciv rank amongst his first requirements. Both may be safF,i' l and inexpensively secured by these admirable Pills, w b ,„ lv o t act gently on the weakest frames, and cause no vi°Th i o shock to the most sensitive system. Holloway's Pills h 6 O proved themselves competent to deal constitutionally s ., those infirmities which descend from parent to offsP r L. which often mar the brightest prospects, and throw a `l i do stunt gloom over youth. These Pills purify both the 8a o, and the fluids of the body, and, by that salutary proFe_o_ rouse every organ to perform naturally its proper funcuo u every nerve its proper duty. Births. BLAKISTON.—On the 28th inst:, at Wood-end, Hollivet°o% St. Leonard's-on-Sea, the wife of Commander Fel Blakiston, R.N., of a daughter. 'f llAmmoND.—On the 28th last , at Dover, the wife °- Hammond, Esq., of a son. Ph ilip PETERS.—On the 28th inst., at Redhill, the wife of H. Peters, Esq., of a son. Marriages. c 'th FrrzHuGH —MuRE —On the 29th inst., at Saint IVori f Bryanston.square, William Henry Fitz Hug h, Lincoln's-inn, to Harriet, eldest daughter of Jas. Eq., of 20, Gloucester-place, Portman-square. A „ l olls MACDONALD—DORAN.---011 the 27th inst., at ^'" gs(l. , Church, Castlebridge, John kiay Athol Macdonald,TroA of the Scottish Bar, to Adelaide Janet, youngest d 6 1 ,70 ter of John Doran, Eq., of Ely House, Wexfo rd) Major 18th Itoyal Irish ; Deaths. Orton Aare °, of ATT I REE, BE C RI e t V IN eI _ Berrington, —Oa the 27th inst., Mr. William t G In T d o - N ro_ad A , t ia s l 2 i7 N to o n rt „ h a -e g n e d d , 6 C l. roydon, Mr. iri olliar a aged 74. BRENNEIS.—On the 26th inat , at 22 0, Cavendish -•q Lauiel J. Brenneis, Esq., aged 53. Q uad' ButtnElt.-0a the 29th inst., at Hitoham,House, .-- . o , the Rev. Henry Forstet Burder, D. D., of Hinniop, Shropshire, athged 82th. DRUCE.—On e. 28 inst., Thomas Charles Druee, s ( l t .l nera of Holeombe House, Mill hill, N.W., and Ba ker-stroe Portman-square, aged 7 1 . I Siruy TITYLL.-0a the 26th in st., at the Hague, Ge William do T 11 • ____—........0i London: Printed and rrblistied by WILLIAALANDIa SriQs t of No. iv, Strand, Printer, at TuE SUN O %•e'• Strand, .0 IP' Precinct of chP S l vov, al the VcU llt9 ° 4.11,16116024.—Friday, ccraber 30, VAL THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1864.